To Go Beyond
by Xelias
Summary: [NEW! Chapter 4] Malon begins to have doubts as the party embarks on their journey. Link talks about his feelings, but only Sheik gets to hear it. Impa disapproves of the group's romantic tension. Nabooru has to sleep with who?
1. Notes and Prologue

Xel's notes: Well, this is my first Zelda fic, as well as my first multipart… I'm scared. ^^   
Especially if people start to like it, cuz I'm so capricious, I dunno if I'm responsible   
enough to finish… x_x But, here's hoping! Heh… this is actually gonna be a fic where   
Sheik is a separate existence from Zelda but isn't slashed with Link… well, actually, he   
is, but not right away. ^_^ Many original characters abound, so excuse my sloppiness   
with some, as I'm not entirely sure of their personalities just yet. ^^  
  
  


To Go Beyond— Prologue  


  
  
A tepid wind wove itself through the clear air of the Kingdom of Hyrule as surely   
as its passage across the vast cliffs surrounding it would allow, to the emerald fields that carried the same name as its motherland. Perhaps it knew of the fate that would befall its protectors as it caused the grass below to ripple and bow to its force, diverging across the very center of the land to gust in a ring of air upon the walls of each sacred temple and each humble residence.  
  
One pair of eyes silently observed the world below from atop the rocky summit of   
Death Mountain, taking on a silvery cast by the dim white light that speared through the   
bleak ceiling of clouds. She, who seemingly carried with her the knowledge of countless generations and the burdens that came in kind merely in the sound of her footsteps, would continue to watch until she was satisfied that the people were all aware of the signs and portents before them. Perhaps at least then, it would be easier for them to accept their new task…  
  
From Hyrule Castle, Zelda watched with similar eyes the bustling crowds that   
were her people. In a tree above the plateau of the Water Temple, a young Sheikah man   
looked up from his harp. Link woke with a start in the spare room of Lon Lon Ranch.   
Somewhere, Saria and Ruto shivered, Nabooru and Darunia cursed, Impa and Rauru   
bowed their heads in silent meditation.  
  
The dark-clothed woman closed her eyes. It was time.  
  



	2. Convention

A/N: It's. FINALLY. Done. Chapter one, that is. x_x And I fear that this is going to be a LONG fic if it doesn't eventually die on me. Well, either way... enjoy! Hope people don't get _too_ attached to it, given it'll probably take me about six months to crank out the next chapter, if this keeps up. >_   
  
*******  
  
Chapter One: Convention  
  
  
  
"And that's why, Princess, we need to strengthen our relationship as a country   
with the Zoras, and— Princess, are you all right?"  
  
Zelda tore her eyes away from the sights of the lively market below and back to   
her numerous advisors, all arranged around the large table. It was quite the task to keep   
her attention on the droning voices of the consultants as they rambled on of political   
status and security… How she longed to go outside again. Working hard to prevent her   
face and tone from betraying the weariness she actually felt, she cleared her throat a bit.  
  
"I-I'm fine, thank you. And I approve of your decisions. If you've nothing further,   
then perhaps we should bring our discussions to a close?"  
  
The head advisor nodded briskly, rising and signaling for the others to stand.   
"Certainly, Your Highness. We will take our leave, then."  
  
With a bow almost perfect in its synchronicity, the men departed, leaving Zelda to   
stare at the door in their wake. She sighed and allowed herself to recline as fully as   
possible in the stiff-backed leader's chair of the counsel room. Closing her eyes, she   
heard the noise of the city dim to a vague hum in the back of her mind, sleep slowly   
beginning to claim her…  
  
Mist. Mist was all she could see. Then…   
  
A wall of stone stood before her. Not of polished stone, either. No… this  
was untouched rock, like that of a mountain face. Possessed by a need, then, to reach out   
and touch it, she felt it yield and crumble beneath her hand to reveal a brilliant metropolis   
of white plateaus and silver sun and rushing water—  
  
Only to find herself swathed in shadows and blindness as clouds gathered in the   
sky and crept along the ground like black snakes, compelling her to run as she had never   
run before, the creak of cracked glass groaning beneath her feet. With a great report, the   
ground buckled, leaving only the descent…  
  
She woke with a gasp, hands clutching the armrests to ensure she would not fall.   
Dreams that came this vividly could only be prophecy, and if this was so, she had to   
forewarn others without any delay.  
  
"Impa!"  
  
She felt rather than saw Impa's sudden presence behind her. "My Princess? You   
look pale."  
  
The Princess's tone was hurried. "Impa, I just had a dream and I believe beyond   
all doubt it was a divination. Thus said, we must assemble the Sages and send a   
messenger to retrieve Link immediately. And… bring me Sheik."  
  
"Princess?"  
  
Zelda nodded, brow knitting as she folded her hands in her lap. "Yes, I know how   
difficult he is to find. But we need to notify everyone, _especially_ if this foretells a new   
threat to Hyrule like I am _afraid_ it does! You, of all, would understand that, Impa."  
  
"I do, My Princess. I go." The Sheikah woman's habitually severe features   
softened a shade as she offered a bow to her young sovereign and companion.  
Producing a flash pellet from the depths of her armor, she vanished in a burst of   
light.  
  
The Princess slumped back against her chair and let out a breath. Her heart was   
still pounding. And Her brow knit. What was that pain she felt beneath her glove? She   
pulled it off.  
  
There, on her palm, she was bleeding?   
  
Zelda clasped a hand to her mouth to stifle a gasp of horror.  
  
*******  
  
Straightening his tunic, Link looked up and smiled as Malon ran to him, his bow   
grasped in her slender hand. "Link! You forgot something!"  
  
He nodded, a soft, slightly sheepish chuckle rising from his throat. "Thanks."  
  
The fae-like girl clasped her hands in front of her and blushed a bit, playing with   
the bracelet that hugged her wrist.  
  
"Are you going to go now?"  
  
"I should," he nodded again, shifting his weight onto the other foot. "I don't like to   
stay in the same place for too long" He shrugged. "I've always been that way."  
  
Malon stood in silence for a moment, noting the way the passing breeze ruffled   
his soft hair— she pretended not to, of course. "Link, don't you ever…"  
  
Brow furrowing over sapphire eyes, Link wondered if she even intended to   
continue the question after a few long seconds. He supposed that all women acted this   
way, given his limited experience with them. At least, all the women he was around did.   
Well, not Saria. But could he ever really consider Saria a woman? She remained eternally   
a child, but she did possess more sincerity and wisdom than many of the adults he had   
encountered. And yet, her love for life had always shone true and strong over all else,   
uncomplicated by adulthood. In a way, he longed greatly to have that joy again…  
  
"Link."  
  
His gaze flitted to Malon, who despite her constantly sweet demeanor looked   
rather dissatisfied at the moment. Bowing his head in apology, he held up his hands in   
supplication, bidding her continue.  
  
That same wistful smile reappeared instantly. "I guess it's nothing. Just… don't   
you ever want to live a… simpler life? Like back in the forest, or in the city, or… here?"  
  
The tentative refusal he haphazardly composed in his mind died on his lips   
with the thud of an approaching horse on the ground. The man that rode the powerful   
beast slowed to a stop before them and hopped off, offering a bow after wobbling   
considerably to regain his balance.  
  
"Ah… Good day, Miss. Please forgive my intrusion. You, sir? You are Link,   
correct?"  
  
Link raised a brow and nodded, straightening as he took note of the traditional   
Triforce crest decorating the horse's bridle. "I am. Do you come from the castle?"  
  
"Her Highness wished me to retrieve you," the messenger explained, "I was told   
to tell you it concerned a… a prophecy."  
  
Malon and Link exchanged a look, then the hero turned back to the jittery man.   
Malon, herself, didn't know much of what was going on, truthfully, but the Princess was   
known for her prophetic dreams— the last one resulted in backbreaking labor and   
inhumane treatment under Ingo. She didn't care to experience that again, much less   
something worse. Her thoughts were interrupted by her friend's voice.  
  
"I understand. The Princess wants me to come now?"  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
He turned to the girl, resting a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Malon. I'll see   
you soon."  
  
Her answer was a small, kind smile. "I know. Good luck, Link."  
  
With that, he mounted Epona and followed the messenger into the distance.  
  
*******  
  
"Her Majesty requires our assistance. There was a prophecy."  
  
"I feared as much. But do you believe this assembly is a truly necessary   
measure?"  
  
"Lord Rauru, she would not take such action if she was not certain!"  
  
"Yes. It had merely been my hope that Hyrule might at last enjoy its peace. Have   
you all any objections to investigating this prophecy, should any need to act arise?"  
  
"Forgive me, Brother, but I can't."  
  
"Darunia?"  
  
"My son… he is gravely ill. I have to request that I stay out of this one unless I'm   
absolutely needed… I'm sorry."  
  
"It's all right, King Darunia… we understand."  
  
"And the rest of you? You will go? Saria."  
  
"Yes, Lord Rauru."  
  
"Ruto."  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Nabooru."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And I must stay to guard this realm. I will watch over you all."  
  
*******  
  
Link rode on, quiver and shield bouncing at his back with each gallop and leap   
Epona made over the land. The hour passed slowly, wonder and slight trepidation   
nagging at the back of his mind, and upon reaching the Castle Town gates, dismounted   
his horse and left her to drink from the clear waters of the river nearby. Never once had   
she wandered off without returning to him as soon as he played her song. He patted her   
hindquarters to show his appreciation and walked across the strong wooden bridge.  
  
It had been about seven years since the banishing of Ganondorf, after which Zelda   
had returned Link to his own time. True, he had gone to visit her some five years ago to   
find that she, herself, had memory of that epic battle, but they had still been children   
then… Wise as she was, she could not grasp the weight of what had passed, nor was _he_   
quite fully aware of it at the time. He was sure she would ask him how all these years   
had been since they last saw each other when he arrived; he would smile and tell her how   
good life was now, now that he was able to live his life as a normal child.  
  
It was nothing but a lie.  
  
It would have been one thing if he couldn't remember, he thought. But to have to   
_wait_, through seven _long_, slow years, getting to know those who were once his friends all   
over again… it had been agonizing. No one recognized him. They had all _forgotten_.  
  
He shook his head to clear the thoughts away and made his way through town and   
up the winding path to the castle, though he couldn't help but observe the way people   
looked right through him. Saria knew all about it now _and_ was willing to understand. He   
had at least that much, and she constantly lent him her ear, but he knew there was   
something selfish in the way he felt when they ignored him; when he was treated as   
unimportant; just another young man in a crowd. In the end, it made him want to refrain   
from saying anything at all, really. Because he _was_ the hero. Wasn't he, even after all this   
time?  
  
The guards welcomed him warily, but with the mandatory respect when   
addressing one of Her Majesty's friends. They led him to the throne room, and there he   
finally saw her. He found it very difficult not to smile then. She changed so much— and   
yet so little— over time. He had seen it more than once, but each time it amazed him. Her   
eyes brightened and she lost a little of her regal bearing as she ran down the stairs to   
throw her arms around him, jostling him a little as he let out a laugh.  
  
"_Indeed_ I have missed you, Link," Zelda calmed herself a bit, offering a modest   
curtsy. Link grew into a man so well, every time. Somehow, rather than the flutter in her   
chest that she had expected, she felt a humble swell of what was perhaps pride. Though it   
surprised her a bit, it was not unwelcome. "You have been well, I hope?"  
  
Link grinned, hand rising to the back of his neck, and replied, "I have."  
  
With her first laugh of genuine good humor all day, she then shook her head,   
turning her head to gaze out the window at the land below. "I'm sorry to disrupt this   
reunion so, but as much as I enjoy it, there are matters we must attend to."  
She watched Link sober and nod, following her gaze to the bustling town and the   
people inside it. "You sensed some kind of threat?"  
  
"I think so, yes," she waved a dismissal to the guards, who bowed and exited the   
chamber, "I have called you and the Sages here to investigate further. If need be, I will go   
as well."  
  
Link stood upright at that, expression one of protest. "Princess, I have all respect   
for your decision, but why are we acting so soon? Isn't it a little early to do something   
when we don't even know what we're looking for yet?"  
  
"I…"   
  
He was taken aback by the haunted look that suddenly made Zelda's eyes seem   
opaque, a chill passing through the room. "I cannot explain it clearly, but I will tell you   
that it is unlike anything I have ever dreamt before. The symbolism was completely   
different… The meaning of it all still escapes me, but still I do understand. In a— a more   
instinctive way. The realism of the dream was incredible. I heard and saw everything as if   
it existed directly in front of me, and—"  
  
She stopped to take a breath, closing her eyes. Link felt as though it was difficult   
to say, which accounted for her simple removal of her glove at that moment. He gaped at   
the jagged slash along the palm of her hand.  
  
"…No dream has ever hurt before."  
  
"Worry not, Princess, for you have my sword as well."  
  
Link whirled on the new voice. The doors had been locked! …Hadn't they?  
  
With a soft chuckle, he stepped out from behind a pillar and made his way toward   
the pair. Link couldn't put his finger on the origins of the man's style of clothing— he   
dressed ornately, yet it didn't quite venture outside the realm of practicality. A deep blue   
long-sleeved tunic embroidered with unidentifiable patterns along the collar, sleeves, and   
hem in shiny silver threads, he noted. Loose in the sleeves, rather… snug in the torso.   
Judging by the stranger's body, he was _well_ used to travel, labor, and combat. Link's eyes   
were drawn to the crimson-sheathed blade at his waist, which contrasted with the soft cream   
of his pants.   
  
But as Link's gaze rose up to his face, he felt a strange tug in his chest. Pale hair,   
even more so than his own, bronzed skin, eyes the color of blood… He knew who this   
man was.   
  
"…Sheik?"  
  
  
_~end chapter one_  



	3. Follow the Leader

  
A/N: Look! Another chapter in record time! And it's a long one, too. ^^; Kaluuna is my   
own creation… kinda. Er, you'll understand. ^_~  
  
  
  
Chapter Two: Follow the Leader  
  
  
Nabooru sat in the centermost platform in the Spirit Temple's sacrificial hall. It hadn't been _used_ as one for centuries, of course— not since the days of the former Gerudo elders, Kotake and Koume. They'd gone a little mad in their final years, she remembered, their obligation to their new King overruling all else.   
  
It had happened before she was born, but she wondered more and more about the woman who bore Ganondorf. As the mother of the only male to be born that century, she must have been exalted. Why was it, then, that no one seemed to remember her name?  
  
It didn't really matter in the end. Ganondorf had mysteriously disappeared early on, when he was just beginning to show signs of a lust for power. It was like he vanished out of space and time… The entire society was devastated. Who would rule them now?   
  
She smiled. Nabooru, that's who.  
  
She liked being here, in the depths of the Desert Colossus. She didn't really know why. She just knew it was special— a holy place that meant something more to her than it did to many other people. She supposed it just had something to do with being a Sage, but she felt she belonged here. The strings of her lute shone gold in the torchlight as she began to play, eyes drifting up to the ceiling.  
  
Something caught her eye suddenly. A disturbance of sorts, in the far wall that stood flush with the unsurpassable mountains behind it— it was as if the stone was suddenly made of water, rippling and emitting light.  
  
Nabooru stood, frowning, a hand dropping to the curved blade at her waist. Then, out of the pool came a hand.  
  
"_Come_…"  
  
"What the hell…?!"  
  
The hand became an arm, which joined a shoulder, which joined a torso. Seconds later, a female figure wrapped in a nearly blinding pink glow beckoned to her.  
  
"_By the Goddesses' decree_… _We bid you come_…"  
  
Nabooru stood frozen on the spot. The Goddesses! The woman's light was overpowering, rays of intermingling white and red forcing her to hold her arm in front of   
her eyes. Red…  
  
She fell to her knees, prostrating herself before the shape. "Lady Din!"  
  
No acknowledgment came as the shape retreated into the portal. Only when her hand remained came her voice again: "_The Hero and the Sages_… _We bid you come_…"  
  
The light retreated, and she was gone.  
  
Nabooru stood, shakily. The strange distortion in the wall was still there. With great hesitation, she jumped down off the platform and approached it. Her fingers ghosted out to touch it and retracted quickly, as if she feared being burned. It seemed safe enough. She touched it once more.  
  
Indeed, it _did_ feel like water, but her hand didn't come away wet. In went her arm, waving around in self-defense, should anything attack her from behind the door. She withdrew again. A deep breath… and she poked her head in. Her eyes grew enormous.  
  
There was land there! A barren, misty, mountainous path, fenced by dark cliffs that stretched high enough to be completely obscured by the fog. She staggered back a   
few steps until she returned to her familiar sanctuary.  
  
"What… _is_ this?!"  
  
  
*******  
  
  
"I take it you are Link," Sheik smiled. "Yes, I am Sheik. But I don't believe we've met before. …Or have we? Somewhere in the flow of time…"  
  
Link grinned. "You still like to be poetic."  
  
A soft chuckle came in reply, but Sheik couldn't say anything else as the doors burst open and a flushed, harried messenger bolted in to kneel messily before Zelda's throne. Link recognized him as the man who brought him to the castle.  
  
"Princess! Princess! A summons," he panted, "from the desert!"  
  
Zelda stood upright. "What does it say?"  
  
"It says, ah…" the man carefully unfolded the parchment. "Something strange is happening to the Spirit Temple! Lady Nabooru has discovered… a door to another world?!"  
  
The messenger looked faint.  
  
So did Zelda.  
  
"Princess, are you all right?" Sheik peered at her.  
  
She held her hand to her brow for a moment, then spoke. "Y-yes. But we must go to Gerudo Valley at once."  
  
Link frowned. "Even you, Princess?"  
  
He got a stern look in response. "Yes, even me. You forget— I am also a Sage."  
  
Sighing, Link raised his hands in consent. "All right, all right…"  
  
As Zelda excused herself to prepare, he turned back to the front of the room and seated himself on the steps. Sheik was looking at him curiously, pale golden hair obscuring one of his eyes. Link squirmed a little under his stare.   
  
"W-what is it?"  
  
"Nothing at all," he replied as he took a seat next to Link, "It is of no importance."  
  
A brief silence passed between them, broken by the rustle of Link's tunic as he shifted.  
  
"So… do you remember anything?"  
  
"Remember?" He looked a little taken aback. "Vaguely. But never enough to piece together a clear memory… I tend to dream about it, though. And the Princess has told me my part in that story as well."  
  
"Um… could you tell me?" Link chuckled sheepishly, leaning forward to rest his arms on his knees. He idly noticed the mysterious Shiekah eye symbol dangling from his ear. "Because up until now, I didn't think you were real at all."  
  
Sheik's eyebrows rose a bit. "The Princess never told you? …Hmm. Interesting."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Well, no matter. Let me tell you then, Link. I was given my task long before Ganondorf's evil gripped Hyrule, when only the threat of his reign began with his search   
for the sacred Stones. I was young, then… but trained well by Impa. And it was she who assigned me the duty of guiding the Hero on his quest to awaken the Sages while she and the Princess hid from Ganondorf's minions. However… the Princess chose to intervene when you reached the final temple, under the guise of my form. She went against Impa's urges to remain in hiding and went to face Ganondorf in person. …And you. It was never her intention, certainly, to be captured by him as she revealed herself to you in the Temple of Time. She thought it still to be a sacred place, where his evil would not reach…"  
  
He shook his head. "Well, we all know that chapter has ended. And now it would seem the pages have turned…"  
  
Link sat quietly, absorbing all this new information. So Sheik was real all along…  
  
"Thank you for waiting," Zelda said as she emerged from the adjoining hall.   
  
"Shall we depart?"  
  
"Depart where, Your Highness?"  
  
The three looked up to see Impa standing at the entrance, arms folded sternly in front of her chest.  
  
"I cannot allow you to travel so far without proper protection, Princess. Please stay here and let these two go in your place."  
  
Zelda folded her arms in retaliation, expression one of protest. "Impa! This is a serious matter that demands my involvement! And besides…" she cocked her head defiantly to the side, "You will protect me, will you not?"  
  
"… Yes, Your Highness. I will go and guard you personally, then."  
  
Link quietly marveled at the smug look on the Princess's face as she breezed past him.  
  
  
*******  
  
  
"Thank you for coming. Please have a seat."  
  
Zelda knelt on the cushion before Nabooru, nodding politely. Link and Sheik were to her left, Impa to her right. Link noted the blue-clad Gerudo on the right of Nabooru; she looked oddly familiar. He realized after a moment that she was the one who gave him that membership card all those years ago…  
  
Nabooru noticed his stare and gestured to the woman.  
  
"This is my second-in-command, Kaluuna. She'll help you as necessary."  
  
"It's an honor to meet you, Your Majesty."  
  
"Princess," Nabooru began, tone shifting to one of strictly business, "We've sealed the entrances to the Spirit Temple because of the… "hole" that has appeared in the Great Chamber. Only Kaluuna and I have seen it. We don't know what to do about it… It's possible to walk in and back unharmed, and it hasn't closed once since it appeared two days ago. So we'd like your opinion on what comes next."  
  
Looking troubled, Zelda hummed thoughtfully. Holes in rock… She was pulled out of her reverie when Nabooru suddenly continued.  
  
"Also— uh, there's something else I haven't told anyone. When it appeared, I was there. And… someone came out."  
  
"Came out?!" Kaluuna turned sharply to her leader.  
  
"_Yes_, Kaluuna. Came out. Can I finish?"  
  
"Sorry, Boss."  
  
"Anyway, someone came out… A woman. But I couldn't see her face, because there was this strange… light coming from her. She said she spoke by the Goddesses! Can you believe that? The Goddesses! And she kept telling me "you must go, you must go," and to bring the Hero and the Sages. Well, I get the Sages part, but who's the Hero?"  
  
Link heaved an inward sigh and looked down at his lap. There was no winning with this one… He could _say_ he was the Hero of Time, but what would that get him? He'd heard it all before. "You? Why? You didn't _do_ anything…"   
  
It was always the same.  
  
He looked up at the sound of Sheik's voice. "This man is the Hero of Time. We will explain later, I promise, but now we should go to the Spirit Temple!"  
  
"Yes… I would like to see this for myself, if it's no trouble," Zelda said, smoothing her dress as she stood.  
  
Nabooru hopped to her feet as well. "Of course. Right this way."  
  
  
*******  
  
  
The Desert Colossus was just one of those timeless things, Link supposed. It was   
exactly as he remembered it; dark and quiet, the cool, dry air heavy with the smell of   
incense. It was in stark contrast to the wasteland outside, but a welcome one. He wiped   
the lingering sweat from his forehead and followed Nabooru and Kaluuna with Sheik by   
his side. Impa had insisted on Zelda walking between them and herself to provide better   
protection.  
  
Since Link's visit, however, a stairway had been constructed leading up to the giant female statue that served as the entrance to the large chamber further in. It was just as well though, since he figured Impa would have a fit if Zelda were to use his hookshot to get in. The thought was pretty amusing, though.  
  
Absorbed in the entertaining images it conjured up, he ran into Sheik's back as they approached the far wall of the chamber.  
  
"Oof! Sorry…"  
  
Sheik was silent, eyes fixed on what was in front of him. Link followed his gaze (and the gaze of everyone else in the room) to the rippling swell in the otherwise solid stone, suddenly struck speechless.  
  
Folding her arms grimly, Nabooru gestured to the portal.   
  
"Go on… take a look."  
  
They did so tentatively, as she had done her first time. But as Zelda looked in, she gasped sharply, the pain in her palm reviving for a split second.  
  
"Princess?!" Impa was at her side immediately.  
  
"This… this is what I dreamt!"  
  
  
*******  
  
  
They had returned to Hyrule Castle Town the following morning. Upon their arrival, Zelda shut herself in her room to determine what to do next. That was three days ago. Sheik wasn't really sure how it worked, but he supposed she was looking for a sign of some sort. Or perhaps she was just meditating upon it. He had to admit, his curiosity was piqued— but the possible dangers of what was to come had to be considered very   
carefully… He could understand if the Princess wanted to be alone.  
  
The rest of the Sages would be coming soon … minus King Darunia, of course. It made sense for the Princess to hold some sort of conference with them before coming to a decision, though he knew they had already agreed to investigate. He and this Hero, this Link… they would stand by whatever decision was made. Which was perfectly fine,   
except that it made them both dead weight in the decision-making process.  
  
So instead he lay on his back in his surrogate room, watching the clouds drift by through the skylight. It was funny, somehow, that he should grow up to be a part of   
something revolutionary— twice. Link, too.  
  
Link… Something about him tugged incessantly at the dark corners of Sheik's mind. His eyes? The sword on his back? His very existence… He wished, now more than ever, that he could remember times already passed…  
  
"Hero of Time…"  
  
  
_~end chapter two_  
  
  
  



	4. The Wait

  
A/N: Not too much to say. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far, especially the ever-constructive Fortuna! ^_^; It'll keep on coming if you keep on reading, guys~! (though I AM having lots of fun with this. X3) A note on the Imprisoning War as it fits in with the timeline for OoT, though— it seems that the Imprisoning War took place before the events of OoT, given that it was at that time when the Master Sword was forged, but it's also said to be the time when Ganon was sealed in the Sacred Realm. Now unless the Master Sword was created about five minutes before Link got there, I'm guessing it's a plothole. Navi refers to it as being "legendary", after all… So, I just decided to choose one and ignore the other. While I think it'd be neat to have the Imprisoning War take place at the same time as OoT, I'm going with the Master-Sword-forging thing for my own purposes. I guess I DID have much to say… O_o  
  
  
Chapter Three: The Wait  
  
  
"…And I was four years old when Impa took me under her wing. I was entirely serious when I described myself as survivor of the Sheikahs in our former story… Most of us were killed in the Imprisoning War long ago— protecting the Royal Family. I am told that our loyalty to the king and queen at that time took us to the front lines when the violence of the war reached its peak… And as a result, few of us survived. But it is what   
we were meant to do…"  
  
Link lay on his stomach behind Sheik, head resting on his arms as he watched and listened intently. The other man sat thoughtfully on the edge of his bed, gazing out the   
window. The clouds were gathering with more intent; it would rain soon. Toying with the   
edge of a lapis-colored sleeve, he looked back to Link.  
  
"But I have a secret, Link. I believe that no one is born with a destiny written into his or her soul. I cannot abide by anything that robs us of our freedom as creations of Hyrule."  
  
Smiling a little to himself, Link rolled onto his back, hands resting behind his head. "…I like that."  
  
"I'm glad," replied Sheik, cocking his head to peer back at him. "I don't feel as though I can tell anyone I please these things."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Have you not seen how heavily our lives revolve around what we are destined and destined not to do, Link? Sometimes," he sighed. "Sometimes it seems to me that   
anyone in this world can do as they will, passing it off as destiny. Perhaps Ganondorf did the same."  
  
Link sat up.   
  
"Maybe… But I want to have more faith in people than that."  
  
He blinked and shifted as Sheik's eyes fixed upon him strangely. Then the man just sat back and chuckled.  
  
The reply died on Link's lips as he caught a flicker of blue flitting across the skylight. A fairy.  
  
"They're here…"  
  
  
*******  
  
  
"Link! Oh, it's been years, hasn't it," Ruto exclaimed as she promptly threw her arms around the startled young man, who had just emerged from his room. Her tone quickly shifted to one of annoyance. "And _why_ haven't you visited in so long? How _dare_ you keep a lady waiting!"  
  
"W-waiting… Waiting for what?" He seemed at a loss as Sheik looked on curiously behind him, offering no help whatsoever.  
  
Fortunately for him, Ruto's incensed retort was cut short by Impa's entry, the heavy door closing with an echoing thud. "Welcome to Hyrule Castle, Princess Ruto. Her Highness will be seeing all the Sages here in a few minutes."  
  
Ruto had the good graces to straighten and look embarrassed, brushing past Link to climb the stairs. "O-of course. Thank you, Impa. Link, we'll _talk_ later."  
  
"Hi, Link!"  
  
He turned and grinned at the small figure standing at the entrance. He _knew_ that fairy meant Saria had come!  
  
"Hey! Wow, you got here fast…"  
  
She smiled and shrugged, "That's what happens when you can use magic."  
  
Pausing, Saria looked up to the balcony on the second floor upon which Impa waited and folded her hands in front of her, awed. Regardless of her duty as a Sage, she'd   
never actually been inside the castle before; magnificent didn't even begin to describe it.   
While the atmosphere was much cleaner and more austere than the home she had made in the Forest Temple, it was far larger, the colorful tapestries adorning the walls catching her eye every so often. Still, she couldn't help but think it would look even more   
impressive with a little moss or ivy here or there… But she knew she was biased.  
  
With the Great Deku Tree's permission, she had opened the Temple as a sanctuary for all Kokiri, not just herself. She wanted to share the beauty of the place with everyone. Even Mido was impressed when he saw it.  
  
"This place is amazing…!"  
  
"Thank you both for waiting. We must go and discuss the matters at hand with the   
Princess now. Nabooru is already inside."  
  
Saria cheerfully waved goodbye to Link and Sheik as she ran up the large, curved   
staircase and into Zelda's study.  
  
"I," Link said, blinking after the three women, "don't know what just happened."  
  
"Alas, I have to leave you as well, Link. Impa asked me to intercept a delivery to the castle."  
  
He gave the door a wan look. "However, I don't actually believe I was meant, as a protector of the Royal Family, to run errands…"  
  
"Well," Link grinned back, "you _did_ say you don't believe in destiny…"  
  
"Touché."  
  
"… Did you say a delivery?"  
  
  
*******  
  
  
Malon hefted the last of the crates off of the cart with a grunt. It wasn't as though she _minded_ the hard work— especially given the possibility that she might run into Link, if he was still here— but a little help wouldn't have been a bad thing. But when she went to call her dad, he was napping of course, and she really didn't fancy spending any   
quality time with Ingo.  
  
It had never occurred to her to wonder why she remembered the events that overlapped the past seven years so vividly. All she knew was that Ingo believed their family owed him something big for his services, but had no idea how far he could actually go to take it. But Malon did, and she'd decided long ago that she'd never let it happen again. Ever.  
  
"Need help?"  
  
She jumped a little at the familiar voice, beaming with pride as she stood up straight to rest her arm on the crates. "Nope! I'm totally fine."  
  
There was a man standing behind Link who she didn't recognize. If his clothes hadn't caught her attention first, his eyes certainly would have. Malon wasn't worldly enough to recognize his features as being of Sheikah origin, but she saw enough to know he was an odd one.  
  
"Oh, hello, mister…"  
  
"Sheik," the man replied, smiling politely. His voice was higher than Link's, holding the barest hint of an accent. "Just Sheik, miss."  
  
Link yawned a bit and leaned against the steel gate behind him. "Sheik, this is Malon. A friend of mine."  
  
Part of Malon felt elated at the introduction. The other part was rather   
disappointed. There was something else nagging at her, too. Link was still here, after how   
many days? …Was he living here now? With the Princess?  
  
"Pleased to meet you, Malon."  
  
She forced a smile. "Likewise. Link, what brings you here? Did something happen with Princess Zelda's prophecy?"  
  
Link appeared eager to tell the story as he sat on a stray crate, ignoring Sheik's look of uncertainty.   
  
"It's so weird, Malon— let me tell you…"  
  
  
*******  
  
  
The conference hadn't amounted to much; it was still maddeningly up to Zelda to decide what to do. Of course she wanted to investigate that strange new land, but she wanted to go herself. She succeeded in getting Impa to agree to that much after several minutes of arguing, but there still remained the greater decision of whether they would go at _all_.  
  
There were just so many risks to take into consideration… What if they were met with hostility? What if they came back to find the gate had sealed itself again? Did she want to be responsible for that…?  
  
"_To the Gray Lands… go._"  
  
She looked up sharply, eyes darting about for the source of the voice. She felt herself instinctively tapping into the well of magic inside her should the need arise to defend herself.  
  
"_Princess Zelda. The fate of this world lies in your hands._"   
  
The voice had, in Zelda's mind, quite deliberately positioned itself between herself and the door. She braced herself against the wall near the window and began carefully composing her first words to the entity. As if it grew sick of waiting for her to say something, it continued with greater urgency.  
  
"_Take your Sages and Warriors by your side and journey forth to a new world…_"  
  
Zelda quickly raised a hand to her eyes as a blue light exploded soundlessly throughout the room, leaving in its wake a female figure clad in barely distinguishable smoky hues that did little to identify her through the hazy glow.  
  
"State your intentions," Zelda struggled to keep her voice from trembling. "You are an intruder and will be treated as such if your intent is perceived as hostile!"  
  
The soft laugh that echoed unnaturally through the fog unnerved Zelda to no end.   
  
"_We Ancient Ones, keepers and watchers of Time, bequeath unto you this charge: that   
you go forth to the Gray Lands and reawaken that which has been lost to Hyrule… The   
ones known as the Oracles of the Triforce…_"  
  
"I-I'm sorry… I don't understand," Zelda forced out. This strange, tremulous emotion that passed through her— it wasn't fear. She wasn't certain _what_ it was. But the "Ancient Ones"… what did that _mean_? Surely it couldn't be…  
  
"_Go to, Princess Zelda. This is what you know as…_"  
  
The shape seemed to hesitate and Zelda leaned in a little closer in anticipation.  
  
"_…your destiny._"  
  
  
*******  
  
  
"Link…"  
  
"What?"  
  
"If you all go… I want to go with you!"  
  
Link nearly reeled back in astonishment, glancing minutely to the curious look that came over Sheik's face at Malon's words. Practically picking his jaw up off the ground, he gestured nondescriptly for a couple seconds in an effort to convey his thoughts until he finally managed to force words out.  
  
"What… Malon— No! It's dangerous! You've never traveled farther than this castle! You don't know what we're getting into! _We_ don't know what we're getting into! What would your dad think?!"  
  
He was just seeing the beginnings of Malon's argument as she braced her hands on her hips when he turned on Sheik, who was by this time chuckling indiscreetly behind him. "What's so funny…?"  
  
Sheik shrugged, "The girl has spirit. And quite a lot of courage if she wants to venture so willingly into the unknown. Perhaps you should allow her to make the decision for herself?"  
  
"Yeah, Link!" Malon asserted, folding her arms. "I'm an adult, just like you. I'm _tired_ of leading such an uneventful life while you go off and see the world! I'll have to talk to Dad, but I think he'll let me; he always wanted me to do more than he got to do when he was young. I can handle it… I'm tougher than I look."  
  
Link stared at her a long moment— she didn't seem to understand what it meant if the Princess decided they'd go on this quest. But… Looking in her eyes, seeing that will and strength, he thought she wanted more than just to follow him. She really did seem to want to see the world. Was it really up to him to decide for her? He knew it really wasn't. He worried for her safety, but that alone probably shouldn't be the deciding factor in what she wanted. It was selfish…  
  
"All right," he sighed. "I won't try to stop you. But keep in mind that if the Princess doesn't want you involved, that's final."  
  
Malon tried to suppress the internal grimace that Link's words stirred in her. It was always the Princess… She let it go for now. It was all right with Link, at least. She'd   
finally get to see a side of his life she'd never known before, and it was exhilarating. She   
wondered if Link lived every day like this.  
  
"All right, Link. Then, I'm going back to the ranch to talk to Dad! You better wait for me!"  
  
As Link watched her shrink into a little red dot behind the castle gate, he sank against the stone wall with a noise of exasperation. Sheik smiled knowingly.  
  
"That girl… She's very taken with you."  
  
He watched Link smirk wanly and rest his chin in his hand. "I know… but I guess it can't be helped."  
  
"I can sense something very special about her, you know. I don't know what." Sheik raised an eyebrow. "Do you like her?"  
  
Link stood suddenly and pointed to the open door nearby. "There's a guard calling us in… I guess they're ready."  
  
"So they are," replied Sheik, cocking his head at Link's retreating back.  
  
  
*******  
  
  
The mood was tense in the reception room. Link quietly fidgeted with Sheik by his side as his eyes flitted around— Ruto still looked like she had something to say to him, but the situation mercifully kept her from following through with her earlier threat just now. Nabooru stood braced against the far wall, arms folded pensively. She seemed to have the greatest idea of what was going on… not that that said much. Saria seemed to be carrying on a quiet conversation with her fairy; Link couldn't hear what she was saying. Upstairs, Impa waited, as though guarding the door. She was a curious person… She was fairly representative of the Sheikah race to him— well, not anymore. Not now that Sheik had arrived so suddenly into his life…  
  
He didn't have time to dwell on it; the door groaned open and Zelda emerged. He wondered if she looked a bit pale, or if it was just his imagination. Impa knelt out of the   
corner of his eye as the Princess stepped forward, looking down at the group.  
  
"I… have carefully considered our options. I believe that we have no other choice but to go forward, into what we do not know, in order to understand it. There are most likely dangers ahead of us, but I am prepared for anything that may come.  
  
"If you are with reservations, I bid you stay here. We must pursue the future without fear, and without doubt. I believe that this is no less than our destiny. As such…"  
  
She paused to take a breath. "We leave at dawn."  
  
  
_~end chapter three_  



	5. Of Mountains and Mist

A/N: Took me long enough, eh? *wince* Well, anyway, I'm pretty fond of this chapter and I'm finally beginning to get into the meat of the story (woohoo!). After this chapter, I can actually allow it to pick up, so thanks to anyone who has the patience to stick with this thing until the end, and please continue to! Cuz it's gonna be a long haul… *death* Ah, well. It's just more to look forward to, right? ^_~ Thanks also to anyone who took the time to review. Though I don't have the time to reply a lot of the time, I really do appreciate it; it motivates me a lot. *hinthint*

Chapter Four: Of Mountains and Mist

            Against her better judgment, Impa chose not to sleep tonight. Instead she sat at the window in her living quarters, carefully polishing the blade in her hands. It had been an heirloom from generations upon generations ago; it predated a great many events, or so she understood. Its hilt was inscribed with the word "unity"— she didn't claim to understand the unity of which it spoke, but nights like these when she held it, she felt as though its energy resonated through her body and hers through it unlike anything else. She felt at home.

That was not to say that her bond with it was any stronger than that between Her Highness and herself, certainly. The history of her kind saw to it. It instilled in her a certain sense of melancholy to be so disconnected with her lost bloodlines… She wondered how Sheik felt, at that. 

As far as Sheikah history stretched, Hyrule and its Royal Family were invariably intertwined. Impa and Sheik… they were destined to find someone to protect for eternity; someone to be tied to in that very same way. Princess Zelda understood this tie completely, though she expressed some consternation at times when she felt her attendant crossed the thin line of devotion into over-protectiveness. But it couldn't be helped after all; she was always only operating in the Princess's best interests… She wondered now, whom would Sheik choose? 

She set the blade down and took one last look at the moon. Tomorrow she would be the first to step into the new world.

*******

            Zelda wouldn't mention the sense of freedom she gathered from wearing the utilitarian trousers that adorned her hips, but the sentiment was definitely there. It wasn't something that happened often, that much was true. She decided that upon what would hopefully be their return to Hyrule, she would consider a change of wardrobe.

The King had been most reluctant to let his daughter go. She still didn't quite understand how she managed to gain enough of his approval to be standing here now, in the Spirit Temple's great hall… With a discreet turn of her head as she walked, she caught sight of her seven cohorts, all but one having great power of some kind in their possession. Her eyes snapped up to the ceiling. The sheer _size_ of her guard this time was probably the pivotal reason.

The portal was where it should be, set a few ominous centimeters _in _the ancient stone wall. The luminescent pinkness of the thing still glowed as strong as it had days before when she first laid eyes on the towering, rocky fences of the canyon and foggy path. A tickle of anticipation flared up in her breast and she turned around to face the group.

"We must be on our guard at all times once we cross this barrier. In the event that we discover civilization on the other side and it shows no signs of hostility, we will attempt to form an alliance between it and the Kingdom of Hyrule. Regardless of the outcome, we must return to the site of our arrival in no more than a week's time."

She softened, then. "I hold nothing against any of you if you are afraid. I… am as well. But in any case, it would seem that we are well equipped for our journey. I humbly thank the Gerudo people for their generosity on your behalf, Nabooru."

"Think nothing of it, Princess," the tall woman smiled, waving dismissively.

Link sagged under the weight of the pack he carried. Really, it wasn't much, but he glowered at the notion that being one of only two males designated him the resident baggage caddy. What about Sheik? Though Sheik was small… But there was lean, powerful muscle packed into that body, he could tell! He decided it _had_ to be a Sheikah thing as he watched the other mightily-built Bearer of Supplies, Impa, approach the swirling gateway with little regard toward the heavy burden on her back. It almost sent a little stab of inadequacy spearing through him.

"Link…?"

The redheaded milkmaid looked more nervous than he'd ever seen her before, but she seemed to be holding up well enough.

"You scared? You can still go home if you want," he replied, smiling.

"No," Malon protested stubbornly, hands tugging instinctively at the bottom of her shirt, "No, I— I'm okay. It's not every day I get to travel with… With the Princess."

He blinked at her falter, but dismissed it. He was finally beginning to trust that she knew what she was doing, at least. And if _Malon_ out of all of them was fine, then the others had absolutely no reason to worry. And speaking of worrying…

"Is there a _reason_, Link, why you haven't bothered to visit me for _two years?_"

He cringed. Ruto, at it again.

"Listen, Ruto—" he began, painfully aware of the interested glances of, well, everyone. Especially Malon. And especially Sheik, oddly. It seemed to Link that he drew some perverse amusement out of his troubles with the fairer sex. He continued, quieter this time. "Ruto, I'm sorry. But shouldn't we talk about this later?"

She looked positively taken aback before folding her arms. "All right. You seem to be fairly earnest, at least. If you're going to be so insistent, I suppose I have no choice but to forgive you."

Unexpectedly, Saria cleared her throat— a diminutive sound, just like the rest of her.

"Um, I don't mean to be rude, but… should we go?"

"Certainly…" Impa quirked a brow and ventured forward.

"Boss! Please wait!"

They turned at the relatively unfamiliar voice. It was none other than Kaluuna, Nabooru's subordinate, who stood doubled-over at the chamber's entrance. She panted harshly for a moment, then took off in a stumbling run towards them. Nabooru cocked her head to the side, studying the woman. 

"What's the meaning of this, Kaluuna?"

She straightened, eyes locking on the space directly in front of her as she held her left arm tight across her chest in a salute. "I wish to accompany the Boss and Princess Zelda on their journey!"

"And if you go, who will take charge?" Nabooru put her hands on her hips. "It's no good to just desert your position, Kaluuna. Where is your sense of honor?"

Link thought it looked like Kaluuna might wince for a moment, but maybe thought better of it at the last second. Her steadfast gaze _did_ falter, an emotion he couldn't quite place flickering in her split-second glance down to her commander's face, but he seemed to be the only one who noticed.

"… If the party fails to return in a week's time, I _will_ come in after them, ma'am!"

Nabooru chuckled and gave to her underling the most sincere smile Link had ever seen from those pale painted lips. 

"I guess that can't be helped."

*******

Everyone but Link, Sheik, and herself were already on the other side. Malon took a deep breath and a step towards the pink vortex, but stopped as quickly as she started. She turned around to look at Link, who gave her what he seemed to think was a supportive smile.

"Do you want me to go first?" His tone was gentle, placating.

"No," she replied, frowning a little. "I'll be fine…"

And Sheik, that mysterious stranger… she could hear his soft laughter as she turned her back and wondered what he had to smile about all the time. She chastised herself for it really being none of her business. There was almost a false edge to his kindness sometimes, or so she thought; she didn't quite understand what it was or why. Maybe it was just oversensitivity. She was still a little emotional after the many hugs and goodbyes she gave to her father, who let her go on the promise that she'd be back. She prayed silently and fervently that she would.

She felt as though she was walking full on into a pond, the way the bright, watery texture enveloped her as she began to walk. The rosy space in front of her was opaque but slowly thinning in that instant that she moved through to the other side. Then the swirling energy was gone and replacing it were endless cliffs and the heaviest fog she had ever seen in her life. The rest of the party stood some distance away, waiting in a leaden veil of smoky vapor.

Sheik watched her vanish, and when there was nothing left but the cold, ancient air of the chamber and the warmth he felt radiating from Link even this far from him, he stepped up to the portal, cutting off Link's ready stride.

"What are you doing?"

"Allow me."

The strange man disappeared as well, leaving Link in a fairly perplexed state. He felt as though he should be at least a little put off by the gesture, but… there was such strangely placed sincerity threaded all through it that he didn't know _how_ to react. It was getting to be an air about Sheik that he couldn't yet understand, much less explain. But now was no time to dwell on it, he thought, and he walked on through.

…And found himself unable to see a thing. There, in the distance, he slowly recognized the soft magenta of Saria's fairy, his eyes focusing on the Kokiri girl's tiny silhouette a moment later. Goddesses, this mist was thick. 

"Princess," Nabooru began, frowning at the place's condition, "is there anything that can be done about this?"

Zelda smiled mysteriously. "I can dispel this fog with my magic. I am confident that I will still have enough energy to protect us later, if need be."

All Malon heard of Impa's stubborn retort was "You will need to do no such thing!" before she got lost in her own thoughts again. 

'Beautiful, royalty, _and _she can use magic…'

She turned to the jagged rock face at her right just in time to see Ruto push off of it from her leaning position, hands on her hips. 

"We should hurry on. The sooner we move, the sooner we can set up camp!"

Scowling inwardly, Impa looked down to repair some nonexistent flaw on her armor. Tomboy or no, it was unfortunate that the Zora princess was so soft at heart, especially given situations like their present one. Of course she wouldn't— couldn't— admit to it, but the spark of adventure in her own young sovereign's heart was something she _always_ admired. She just… wished it didn't have such a propensity to endanger her. That was all. 

She had to quash down a smile as Zelda smiled serenely, nodding like a lady.

"Yes, you're very right. Please have patience, everyone; this will only take a moment."

Link had seen this before, or something like it. A sphere of golden light began to grow between Zelda's palms, the cloudy air being pushed back from that central point as though by some invisible force field. The canyon had cleared for a second or two when he noticed that the Princess seemed to be struggling.

"Your Highness?" Impa was at her side in an instant, ever protective.

"I…" Zelda's voice was a little strained. "Something is resisting… I cannot hold it—"

She let that light diminish, slumping a little afterward. No sooner than that did the fog rush back in and obscure their vision again.

"What happened?" Malon's question was entirely innocent, having begun to feel a bit left out in the past few hours. Everyone seemed to know what was going on but her…

Princess Zelda's gaze fixed upon her, taking her aback. The crazy impulse to bow down before her fluttered briefly in the pit of her stomach. 

"I'm not entirely sure. It would seem that something in this canyon is repelling my magic. I think it best that we proceed with caution until we are through."

"The Princess is right," Saria replied, brow furrowed. Her fairy darted into some nondescript part of her clothing. "This doesn't feel like ordinary fog. Sora thinks so too."

Malon was growing steadily more uncomfortable. "Like it's evil?"

"No, not really evil," she smiled, trying to comfort her. It weakened after a second or two. "Just… troubling."

Naturally, hearing this left Malon the most troubled of all as they walked on.

*******

It was going to get dark soon. Zelda still marched on in front of everyone else, determined, and Impa followed with all the loyalty she could muster. And the rest… the rest straggled behind in the dusky orange haze, their movements not uniform in the slightest. Saria trailed along at the very back of the group, her grown mind limited by what her child-like constitution would allow. She seemed rather lonely until Malon slowed her already slogging pace to settle beside her.

 For the first time in years, Sheik felt a sense of youthful impetuousness that demanded he teleport out of this endless, dreary place and into whatever land lay ahead of them. The new world had to be more than this… right?

But that would involve leaving everyone behind, and that just wouldn't do. He wondered if Impa felt the same frustration, especially with all the supplies on her back. She looked no more tired than when they'd embarked. He wished he could say the same for Link. Poor thing. 

"Do you want me to take that?"

The Hero of Time peered slowly, weakly over to Sheik, the question not fully registering in his head immediately. When it did, he straightened with a slightly embarrassed smile.

"No, I'm all right! We'll have to set up camp soon anyway. No point in someone else getting tired out, too."

"Hmm."

"Hey, Sheik," Link chimed in thoughtfully, "Do you remember Ganondorf?"

"I do. Even though it may be that I never really lived that life, I think it unlikely that I could ever forget," he sighed.

"Well, good! I don't _want_ you to forget!" 

Wide eyes the color of blood turned sharply towards him and he immediately regretted his words. But there was no getting out of it this time; he'd kept this feeling hidden so long that it would have only been a matter of time before it exploded like this. And Sheik looked so surprised. Poor thing.

"What I mean is… Only we remember what happened. And that's probably a good thing, but… it just bothers me sometimes. I— we saved the _world_, Sheik! It feels good to be… to be acknowledged for that."

The Sheikah still stared, a look of calculating appraisal on his face. Link continued.

"I know how selfish it is—"

"Not at all."

"I just… I don't want to be forgotten…"

"…"

All Sheik could hear for the next few minutes was the soft shuffle of feet on loose earth. Ruto and Nabooru chatted idly a good distance away, but even given his keen senses he could only make out the thinly veiled sharpness of their tone and not any actual words themselves.

"Link."

"What…?"

"Do you feel this stagnancy in the air? As we walk on, a feeling of sorrow wells up within you. You cannot tell me you do not feel it."

Link frowned a little. 

"…I guess I do," he answered, perturbed by the man's unearthly perception.

Sheik turned his head skyward, voice soft, colored by a melancholy lilt.

"It feels as old as time itself."

*******

            Night fell, dark and misty and cold. Especially cold. For reasons Malon couldn't place, the fire did little to help the chill in her body. There was one clear benefit out of all of this, though, she mused to herself… as she huddled up against Link's solid, warm body. While not quite as peaceful a moment as it would have been— she had to ignore the various reactions of the women around her: Princess Ruto, particularly, glared without bothering to hide it, looking ready to break in at any moment and Princess Zelda, while not visibly disconcerted, seemed to be absorbing herself rather deeply in a conversation with Sheik, who sat on the other side of Link and poked solemnly at the fire as he listened— she still felt comforted. Safe. Happy.

            Bedtime came too soon when, after a meager but satisfying supper, she was forced to leave Link's side. She watched Nabooru inch closer to the fire, imagining that she wasn't comfortable in the cold at all, being from the desert. She thought she saw a faint sparkle of frost on the wilting blades of grass some distance away. 

            "We can't sleep like this. We _need_ to double up," the Gerudo insisted. She sat still for a moment, hands clutching her arms, stewing silently. Then she exploded, "Holy _hell_, it's cold out here!"

            No, Nabooru definitely wasn't comfortable in the slightest. Next to her, Ruto made a face of vaguely self-satisfied agitation.

            "I don't see what everyone's so afraid of. Why, this is _nothing_ compared to Zora's Domain in the winter! And especially that time when Ganondorf froze it…"

            She trailed off, sagging a little at the others' expressions. 

"Well… maybe it wasn't _that_ cold."

            Malon wondered why the memory of that bitter northeastern wind flooded into her mind so vividly… 

            "Well, anyway!" Saria interjected with a smile. Malon liked her a lot. She always tried so hard to cheer the rest up and managed to be so bright and hopeful that she had to remind herself sometimes that she was older than she looked. "Nabooru's right; we should share for tonight, shouldn't we? I'd be happy to with you if you want, Malon."

            Of course she said yes. It was an instinctive reaction because she felt so out of place on this journey, not that she'd admit it. She had to prove to Link _and_ to herself that she could do this. She stole a longing glance at him only after she gave her hasty answer. What if… she would have had the chance to be with Link tonight? Surely that wouldn't happen… would it?

            Impa quirked a brow at the looks Princess Ruto and the farm girl were giving Link. Such tension in the party couldn't amount to anything good. But yet, she could understand… she had been young once too, hadn't she? Then her jaw very nearly dropped as she noticed the idle interest in her very own Majesty's eyes! No, she had never been young at _all_. Never.

            "Your Highness, if you would allow me to accompany you… And you two," she turned swiftly to Link and Sheik, who both were taken by surprise at Impa's sudden accusatory stare, "Take what you need from that pack over there and sleep. It's unbecoming to take up half a lady's bed."

            The Princess seemed a little confused, but Impa knew she didn't have any reason to argue. She decided she would keep it that way; for her own good, of course. Link was a hero, but was he husband material? Certainly not, she thought, leading her away with a mean-spirited little smile.

            "It seems our accommodations have been chosen for us tonight, Link," Sheik remarked cheerfully. "Shall we prepare for bed, then?"

            Again, Link was left feeling like he had just missed something. "Ah… sure…"

The group dispersed, leaving Nabooru and Ruto standing alone by the crackling fire. Nabooru looked over at the fish girl and then snapped back to the dark path from which they came.

"He-hey! It wasn't supposed to work like this!"

Ruto scowled and folded her arms. "You're telling me."

_~end chapter four_


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